Cleaning device for ear molds



April 20, 1954 s. s. BUTLER 2,675,314

CLEANING DEVICE FOR EAR-MOLDS Filed Feb. 7, 1951 Snventor Sid/726:7 J: Fa 276/" (Ittornegs Patented Apr. 20, 1954 UNITED stares TEN T QFF EC.

1 Claim.

The present invention relates to a device for cleaning passages in hearing aid ear molds.

In many of the present day hearing aid devices, an ear mold is provided to be inserted in the ear. The ear mold has a passage therethrough and is connected to a receiver positioned at the outside of the ear by means of a snap fastener device so that it may be readily removed and attached thereto. The receiver reproduces the sounds and transmits them through the passage to the ear. Difl'lculty, however, is encountered in such devices in that the passage becomes clogged with ear wax, skin particles, or the like, shutting off the sound waves and rendering the hearing aid inoperative.

Heretofore, it has been the practice to either soak the mold in a solvent for the wax and blow the passage clear, or if the deposit is not sufliciently heavy to require this, the mold is blown and the passage cleared. Since the air for blowing the passages clear is usually provided by the lungs of the user, this is highly unsatisfactory and an unsanitary process. The present invention provides a sanitary means for clearing the passage which may be readily connected to the ear mold utilizing the snap fastened part thereon and can blow either air through the ear mold passage to clear the same or can be provided with a cleaning fluid which is caused to traverse the ear mold passage and clean the same.

In the preferred form of the invention, this is accomplished by providing a source of fluid under pressure such as a syringe bulb with a mounting means whereby an ear mold is connected thereto. While various forms of connecting means may be employed, it is at present preferred to use a snap fastener part cooperable with the fastener part normally formed on the ear mold to connect the mold to the receiver so that the existing structure of the ear mold may be utilized in securing it to the device.

Other features and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the specification and claim when considered in connection with the drawings in which:

Figure 1 is a composite view partly in section showing the device of the present invention.

Fig. 2 is a detailed sectional view of the device with the ear mold in position thereon.

As shown in the drawings, the device of the present invention comprises a manually operable source of fluid under pressure such as a syringe bulb III which may be made of rubber or other similar material. The syringe bulb has connected to the neck ll thereof a base l2 which extends thereacross and closes the neck. While the base may take many forms, in the illustrated form of the invention it comprises a circular member of stiff material which may be of rubber, plastic, metal or other suitable material and is provided with an opening I3 therethrough which permits fluid to pass into and out of the syringe bulb. Overlying the opening is a snap fastener part l4, herein illustrated as th male snap fastener part, which is secured to the base so as to overlie the end of the opening. The snap fastener part is provided with an aperture l5 which will permit the fluid from the opening it to pass therethrough. The snap fastener part is adapted to cooperate with the female snap fastener part It on the ear mold I! so as to clamp the ear mold to the base. The snap fastener part l6 normally connects the ear mold to the usual receiver (not shown) of the hearing aid. In this position, the opening I 3 in the base and the aperture I5 in the snap fastener on the base communicate with the passage I8 in the hearing aid mold so that when th syringe bulb is pressed fluid in the bulb will be forced through the opening and aperture and into the passage I8 to cause any foreign matter such as wax, soap, skin particles or the like to be forced therefrom.

The inward camming action of the sides of the part M of the snap fastener connection will normally urge the flat base of the ear mold into engagement with the end of the base l2 to provide a sufficiently fluid-tight connection between the parts. If a further seal is required because of the nature of the fluid, a gasket (not shown) may be used between the bas and mold to insure against pressure leaks at this point and insure passage of the fluid through passage It.

If the walls of the passage are coated with wax, it may be desired to wash the same and in this case the bulb is filled with a soap and water solution or a solution containing a suitable solvent for the wax and the same is forced against the wax deposit causing the same to be dissolved or washed away. Furthermore, if desired, the ear mold can be placed in a receptacle having a soap and water solution or cleansing solution and by flexing the bulb the solution can be drawn or forced back and forth through the passage until it is completely cleaned. After the passage has been cleaned, the ear mold is removed from the receptacle and the bulb operated a plurality of times to force air through the passage and complete the cleaning of the ear mold.

It will be seen by the foregoing structure that I have provided a simple, yet eflicient means for cleaning passages in ear molds which may be readily attached to the ear mold by existing structure of the ear mold and remove thewax or other foreign matter therefrom in a highly sanitary and satisfactory manner.

Variations and modifications may be made within the scope of the claim and portions of the improvements may be used without others.

I claim:

In a device for cleaning hearing aid molds having a passage therethrough terminating in a socket forming a female snap fastener part, the combination of a syringe bulb; and an ear mold mounting means connected to the syringe bulb and comprising a base having an opening therethrough communicating with the interior of the bulb to conduct fluid to and from said bulb, and a male snap fastener part mounted thereon and adapted to receive said female snap fastener part on the hearing aid mold to hold the mold against the base with a fluid tight connection, said male snap fastener part overlying the exterior end of the opening and having an aperture therein communicating with said opening whereby fluid from the syringe bulb will be conducted to the passage in the ear mold whil the ear mold is held to the base.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 768,637 Thowless Aug. 30, 1904 1,752,993 Flagge Apr. 1, 1930 1,903,915 Smith Apr. 18, 1933 2,260,038 Long Oct. 21, 1941 

